Ross Greenstein and the SFA team chat with Paul Settles, Head
Coach of Men's Tennis for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges. Settles
reminds us that having good character, a passionate mentality, and
a solid academic resume are overlooked, but highly crucial keys to
successful recruiting.

Questions and Answers

Paul Settles, Head Coach at CMS Colleges
courtesy, CMS Athletics

Scholarship For Athletes (SFA): What advice do you have for the
parents of high school student athletes about the recruiting
process? Paul Settles (PS): The happiest student-athletes are the
ones whose parents have let them take the lead in the recruiting
process. I think the best model to follow is the parent as
consultant - a good listener who can ask the right questions and
get their son or daughter to articulate what's important to them in
a school and tennis program.

SFA: What information should an athlete know prior to making
their initial school list?

PS: They should evaluate where they would be happy if tennis
weren't a factor. I think this is both the starting and ending
point in creating a list of schools to consider.

SFA: Should the athletes let you know what tournaments, games,
and events, they will be playing in and their results from these
events?

PS: The astute coach is on top of this information, but still
wants to know that the prospective student-athlete cares and
desires communication. I find that the "upcoming events" or "latest
results" communications are often an entree to more substantive
exchanges between the recruit and coach. The academic equivalent of
tournaments and events - grades and standardized test scores - are
equally important to me, since the academics here are top notch. I
want to know what's coming up and how it went.

SFA: What kind of questions should every high school student
athlete ask their potential college coaches?

PS: It is very important to establish candid, transparent
communication from the beginning. For me, the two most important
questions are: "Do you think I have what it takes academically to
be admitted to your school?", and "Where am I on your recruiting
list?" Both parties also need to understand that the answers to
these questions can change over time - a student's grades and test
scores can improve or decline just as dramatically as his
ranking.

SFA: What attributes do you look for in a recruit and why?

PS: Real simple - I want a nice kid who is passionate and a good
sport. I want to be able to see that first-hand, and also hear
about it from an objective source. I also want an athlete who
really loves to play tennis, and isn't doing it because he feels
like he has to or merely because he's been doing it his whole
life.

SFA: What is your recruiting philosophy?

PS: Don't recruit anyone I wouldn't want dating my teenage
daughter. That's how strongly I feel about recruiting kids with
good character. I'm going to be spending almost every day of my
life with them for their next four years, so I want kids who I can
get along with and who I can build strong relationships with.

SFA: How important is an athletes ranking to you?

PS: A ranking is just a number, and a star is just a symbol. I
start by looking at results and listening to objective sources who
I trust. Often, the ranking and star rating validate that
information, but neither should be used as the sole basis for
assessment.

SFA: What are your coaching philosophies?

PS: I'm all about efficiency - getting more out of less. I apply
the principle to training, practice, even tactical decisions in
competition. I also believe that competing well - where
preparation, poise, execution, and sportsmanship all intersect -
provides a life lesson that can be applied to just about anything a
student-athlete encounters after his college years.

SFA: What are the most common misconceptions among athletes and
parents about college athletics?

PS: Parents worry that being on a team will put their son or
daughter at an academic disadvantage relative to their non-athlete
classmates. This is far from true, as we keep our athletes in check
and make sure they are thriving in the classroom.

SFA: What would you like to see more of from high school
athletes? PS: Commitment to their high school team regardless of
the team's success. I'd also like to see more elite tennis players
playing other team sports into their high school years.

SFA: Why do you think so many high school student athletes don't
build strong relationships with the coaches and current players on
the teams during their recruiting process?

PS: I think many are more comfortable at a safe distance,
knowing that if things don't work out, they haven't invested too
much emotionally in the process. However, as a coach, you have to
wonder how much a prospective student-athlete will invest himself
in his future team if he has been passive during the recruiting
process.